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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Birth | 3 August 1979 |
| Recruited from | Healesville (YVMDFL) / Eastern Ranges (TAC Cup) |
| Height and weight | 173cm / 82kg |
| Playing career¹ | |
| Debut | Round 5, 27 April 1996, West Coast Eagles vs. Carlton, at Princes Park |
| Team(s) | West Coast Eagles (1996-2009)
227 games, 131 goals |
| ¹ Statistics to end of 2009 season | |
| Career highlights | |
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David Wirrpanda (born 3 August 1979, Melbourne, Victoria) is a former Australian rules footballer, who played for the West Coast Eagles in the Australian Football League between 1996 and 2009. He is seen as a prominent role model for many Indigenous Australians.
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Early life
Wirrpanda was born in Carlton, Victoria to mother Margaret (née Briggs), a Dhulanyagan women of the Ulupna Clan Yorta Yorta[1] woman whose relatives include prominent former VFL/AFL players including pastor and South Australian Governor Sir Doug Nicholls, Eddie Jackson, Robbie Muir, Sean Charles, Andrew Lovett, Nathan Lovett-Murray. His father, also named David Wirrpanda, is a Yolngu Djapu from East Arnhem Land.[citation needed]
Wirrpanda was raised in Shepparton and Healesville, and prior to being drafted as a 16-year old, attended Worawa College,[1] Victoria's only Aboriginal college. His mother's family had set up Worowa for young indigenous youth who were being missed by the net of education at mainstream schools.
Football career
Wirrpanda starred for Eastern Ranges in the TAC Cup during 1995, and was scouted by West Coast Eagles recruiters and brought to Perth by longtime Eagles CEO Trevor Nisbett.[1]
Wirrpanda made his debut with West Coast in Round 5 of the 1996 AFL Season, at the age of 16 years, 268 days, and remains the Eagles' youngest ever debutant. Unfortunately, injuries and fluctuating form hurt him early in his career, and he managed only 12 of a possible 71 AFL games (including finals) in his first 3 seasons. During these early years, he also played 25 games for East Perth in the WAFL.
By the mid-2000s, Wirrpanda's career started to get on track, and he became a consistent contributor for the Eagles, playing mainly as a small defender in the back pocket or half back flank. After a solid year in 2004, he had a stellar 2005 season in which he won selecttion in the All-Australian team, his trademark clearances from defence being a vital part of the Eagles' success that year. He continued to do well in 2006, marking his 150th AFL game with a great performance.[citation needed]
Wirrpanda nearly missed out on the 2006 AFL Grand Final through injury, but came back to take his place in the side. He came in at the expense of Jaymie Graham, who had played every game of that season up until then, and out of respect for his younger teammate, Wirrpanda played in the match with Graham's #22 written on his hand.[citation needed]
In 2007 and 2008, Wirrpanda has shared time between his usual backline post and pinch-hitting up forward for his team, using his excellent footskills to both set up play and score some crucial goals for the Eagles in the process.
In 2008, Wirrpanda was met solidly by Geelong's Gary Ablett in a match at Skilled Stadium. The incident sparked some debate among the football media and fans alike, as although photographs revealed head high contact was made during the bump, Wirrpanda had also slid to the ground, assuring that Ablett had upheld his duty of care as best he could when bumping an opposition player, and therefore not resulting in a suspension for the incident.[2].
At the conclusion of Round 22, 2009, he had played in 227 of a possible 327 matches for the Eagles (including finals), and has scored 131 goals, averaging 16.6 disposals for his career.
In September 2009, Wirrpanda announced his retirement citing he may be standing in the way of another younger playing being fast tracked within the club. After the birth of his son, Wirrpanda also expressed his desire to move on citing his fatherhood is the most important aspect of his life, but also spending more time with the foundation that bears his name.
Wirrpanda has also announced his wishes to remain part of the West Coast Eagles, saying that he may one day serve on the board.[3]
Personal life
For most of his career, Wirrpanda has been known as "Wirrpunda", but in 2005 it was pointed out that his actual birth name was Wirrpanda. In the West Australian before the 2006 season Wirrpanda said that he had allowed his name to be misspelled to ensure it was pronounced correctly.
Wirrpanda is also known for his community work in helping to improve the lives of young Indigenous Australians, first and foremost through The David Wirrpanda Foundation, which he launched in 2005.
He was named the 9th most influential Aboriginal Australian by The Bulletin magazine in 2007[4] and 2008. He also received the 2009 award for Young Western Australian of the Year.[5]
He is currently dating model Shannon McGuire, and the couple have a son together called Marley born in August 2009, which caused him to miss West Coast's Round 22 match against Richmond that was played the previous evening.[6]
Wirrpanda is featured in the song "Jimmy Recard" by Drapht.[citation needed]
References
- ^ a b c AFL Record. Round 9, 2009. Slattery Publishing. pg 75.
- ^ Never iron out the shirt-front by Campbell Brown for The Age. April 13, 2008
- ^ http://www.westcoasteagles.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/7155/newsid/83988/default.aspx
- ^ Wirrpanda recognised for work 30 November, 2007, AFL BigPond Network
- ^ Australian of the Year Award 2009 National Australia Day Council
- ^ David Wirrpanda, Shannon McGuire have a baby son
External links
- David Wirrpanda profile on the Official AFL Website of the West Coast Eagles Football Club
- David Wirrpanda's statistics from AFL Tables
- WAFL playing statistics
- David Wirrpanda Foundation
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